1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a diaper changing station and more specifically to a carrying case that holds various items of infant and toddler care wherein the case is capable of being unfolded and laid upon an appropriate surface such as the back deck of a sports utility vehicle in order for the case to act as a convenient diaper changing station.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Every parent knows that one of the guarantees of having small children is the need to change diapers with regular frequency. A diaper that needs changing at home typically presents no problem. A diaper changing station is laid out and all of the needs for changing the diaper, including wipes, fresh diapers, a disposal for the used diapers, powders, etc., are all present and handy for easy access. The diaper is quickly changed, the old one disposed of, and the child is back on his or her way.
A more challenging situation occurs when the diaper needs to be changed on the road, and in today's hectic world, such needs tend to occur often. Any parent or guardian that has attempted to change a diaper in a vehicle, appreciates the difficulty in such an undertaking. As the vehicle is not overly baby proof, the caretaker must keep a good hold of the child in order to prevent injury while at the same time actually changing the diaper. In the limited confines of a vehicle, such a task is not easy. Additionally, the caretaker must fumble around in a carrying bag to find the necessary paraphernalia in order to get the job done. As Murphy's Law may have it, the package of needed wipes is at the bottom of the carrying bag and the contents are strew over the floor of the vehicle before success is achieved in getting to the desired item. This yoga routine is played out over and over again in many people's lives.
To address this problem, baby changing stations have been proposed wherein a changing station is part of the vehicle, typically the seat. These stations provide an area that has the needed tools to get the diaper changing job done in an organized and efficient manner all within the confines of the vehicle. However, some such systems, by being built into the vehicle directly add significantly to the overall vehicle costs making such systems cost-prohibitive to many consumers. Add on systems are likewise expensive to obtain and install and many vehicle owners are reluctant to modify their vehicles to accommodate such systems. Additionally, many households have two or more vehicles for transport of their children so that the above problems are magnified.
What is needed is a portable diaper changing station that allows a vehicle-bound caretaker to be able to quickly and easily change the diaper of a child while in a vehicle. Such a station must hold the various items needed for diaper changing—fresh diapers, wipes, creams, powders, etc., —and allow quick and easy access to such items so that the caretaker has rapid access to the organized products. Such a diaper changing station must not require expensive modification of the vehicle, either at the factory or in the aftermarket so as to not discourage parents from obtaining such a device. The station should be portable so as to be easily transportable and must be relatively compact so as not to occupy an inordinate amount of the finite available real estate within a vehicle. Ideally, such a device should be of relatively simple design and construction so as to be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and use.